It has always fascinated me
how no matter what century it is
the various ages of culture
ultimately give rise to subcultures
of people who all walk to
the same beat of the same drum...
it has always been a source of inspiration
for me how on some level
everybody is always looking for a group
of like-minded individuals
who talk the same way,
who dress the same way,
and who feel the same way about things,
about the world, about how they have
for so long been misunderstood -
and what brings them the most joy
in the world most likely does not
fit into the same mould of what is
considered to be mainstream or "normal".
It has always interested me
how easily people feel as if they
can be themselves when they are
given the opportunity to visit a place
which is sacred to them and safe for them
to indulge themselves in the conventions
of the subculture that they are
a practicing member of,
that are so iconic and expected
they have over time become a stereotype...
it has always given me a sense of acceptance
every time I have looked around the world
and without even having to try
I have been able to recognize
the unmistakable signs that point towards
someone who I might not know,
and who does not know me,
but who I may share similar sensibilities with,
who do not spend any effort or time
in disguising the fact that when it comes
to the road of life they are constantly
walking a thin line.
It is has always been a way of life
for the young of a society
to rebel against the rules of their parents
and thumb their nose at authority figures
so as to test the limits of what they can do,
in order to make their voice be heard;
however, sometimes when a certain
group of people feel as if they are being
unduly silenced then speech can slowly
transform into acts of delinquency,
disrespect, and disorder.
It will always be the case
that some people will want to believe
certain individual beliefs...
some people will always want
to live a certain way of life...
some people will always want
to act upon their instincts
and express what is meaningful to them -
because some things, to some people,
feel so indelible they are indistinguishable
from their nature...
it goes without saying that normality
is a matter of opinion and perspective -
and where some may look at a group
of people and consider them to
have nothing constructive to offer
others might look at those same people
in the same way that they would look
at a family member,
because to them they are an example
of how an idea can grow and endure
under the radar as a subculture.
Opinions
My Poem “Kids These Days’
Kids these days have never had it so good…
kids these days spend a lot of their time,
apparently, Tik-Toking along to their favourite songs,
Instagraming their favourite selfies,
streaming their favourite music videos
and commenting on the social media content
of so-called “influencers” who
have opinions that some young people
take noticed of and listen to
more so than even their parents,
and the majority of the interactions
that take place mostly happen
when sharing some Face Time
by using an app on their mobile-phones
that connects them over the internet
to their close-by and far away friends.
Kids these days are spoilt for choice
when it comes to choosing
what to watch, what to read,
and what they can do –
however, no matter the riches
at their fingertips, kids today
still never fail to arrive at moments
when they express that they feel bored
and that “there is nothing to do”.
Kids these days have got so much more
than what a kid growing up
in the 1980s or the 1990s
could ever have dreamed of –
however, as with every kind
of overabundance,
there is a danger that hides in plain
sight that kids these days
do not see until it is too late:
the false perspective that
appearances are what matter the most
and that you must occasionally
wear a mask to hide
the fear of nonconformity
that some kids and some adults
these days suffer through on
a regular basis.
It is sometimes hard to live
a happy life and to be accepting
of who you are in this modern
world of instant communication
and sharing of self-expression,
and it is easier now than ever
for people to attack others
and leave indelible scars
upon the psyche of innocent people
who just want to use their right
to express their feelings about something –
and unfortunately it is also easier than ever
to be made to feel isolated and alone
without anywhere to go
or anybody to turn to:
which is the dark side
of this constantly online world
that we live in.
I just hope that one day
we as a society will find a way
to demonstrate to the up-and-coming
generation that true happiness
lies in discovering how
individually special a person is
and that everybody can be
a truly valued member of the human race
by just being themselves
and by making the most of what they are born with
without judgment or alienation
because of how different they may be.
I just hope that the next generation of children
will learn to magnify and show
the best of what lies within them
and not dwell too longingly upon
what they have no control over –
especially sensitive adults and children
who live with insecurities
and things that they don’t like
about themselves,
and what they think about
morning, noon, and night –
and I just hope and pray
that one day the kids of tomorrow
will know a life free of
what some kids and some adults today
worry about and obsess over
every single day.
Mark The Poet 